Securable storage compartments

Abstract

A vehicle includes a vehicle body and storage compartments that are located in the vehicle body. Each of the storage compartments has a cavity and a closure that selectively secures the cavity. A respective authorization input is associated with each of the storage compartments. The closure of each of the storage compartments is operable to unsecure the cavity upon receipt of the respective authorization input.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving a first user request from a first user for access to a first storage compartment that is located in a vehicle, the first storage compartment being in communication with a computer system; 
 receiving first contents in the first storage compartment from the first user; 
 securing the first contents in the first storage compartment; 
 receiving, with the computer system, a second user request from a second user to be transported by the vehicle; and 
 transporting the second user with the vehicle according to the second user request while the first contents remain secured in the first storage compartment, wherein the first storage compartment is not accessible by the second user when being transported by the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a third user request from the first user for access to the first storage compartment; and 
 after the transporting of the second user, unsecuring the first storage compartment in response to the third user request. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising associating a first authorization input with the first storage compartment. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the receiving of the third user request includes receiving the first authorization input. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first user request is additionally for transporting the first user with the vehicle. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising transporting the first user according to the first user request. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second user request is additionally for access to a second storage compartment that is located in the vehicle. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving second contents in the second storage compartment from the second user; and 
 securing the second contents in the second storage compartment. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the securing of the second contents occurs while the first contents remain secured in the first storage compartment. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second storage compartment is not accessible by the first user while the second contents are secured therein. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving a third request from a third user to transport the third user with the vehicle; and 
 transporting the third user with the vehicle according to the third request; 
 wherein while the third user is transported by the vehicle, the first contents remain secured in the first storage compartment, the second contents remain secured in the second storage compartment, and the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment are not accessible by the third user while being transported by the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       12. A vehicle, comprising:
 a vehicle body; and 
 storage compartments that are coupled to the vehicle body, each of the storage compartments having a cavity, a closure that selectively secures the cavity, and a sensor that assesses whether contents of the cavity is living; 
 wherein the closure is prevented from securing the cavity according to an assessment of the contents of the cavity with the sensor. 
 
     
     
       13. The vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein the vehicle is prevented from moving according to the assessment of the contents of the cavity by the sensor. 
     
     
       14. The vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein the sensor is one of a motion detector, or a camera. 
     
     
       15. The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the sensor is the motion detector, and the assessment of the contents is whether the contents are moving. 
     
     
       16. The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein each of the storage compartments further includes a chemical sensor for assessing the contents. 
     
     
       17. The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the sensor is the camera. 
     
     
       18. A storage system comprising:
 a storage compartment comprising:
 a cavity, 
 a closure for selectively securing the cavity, and 
 a controller for selectively operating the closure in response to an authorization input associated with a first user, 
 
 wherein the storage system determines, while contents are stored in the cavity on behalf of the first user, at least one of an actual or attempted unauthorized access to the cavity by a second user and communicates an alert regarding the unauthorized access to the first user. 
 
     
     
       19. The storage system of  claim 18 , further comprising a sensor for assessing different contents of the cavity, wherein the storage system operates the sensor to assess the contents of the cavity, determines with the sensor whether contents received from the first user are left in the cavity, and communicates an alert to the first user that the contents associated therewith are left in the cavity. 
     
     
       20. The storage system of  claim 18 , wherein the storage system is a component of a vehicle configured to transport different users and, while transporting the second user with the vehicle, the controller determines the unauthorized access to the cavity by the second user and communicates the alert regarding the unauthorized access to the first user. 
     
     
       21. The storage system of  claim 18 , wherein the storage system keeps records of one or more of access to the cavity by different users or the different contents of the cavity. 
     
     
       22. The storage system of  claim 21 , wherein the storage system communicates the records of the access to the cavity to a security checkpoint. 
     
     
       23. The storage system of  claim 21 , wherein the controller keeps the records.